Plastic films are high-performance materials which play an essential part in modern life. Plastic films are mostly used in packaging applications but as will be seen from this book they are also used in the agricultural, medical and engineering fields. The plastics films industry uses state-of-the-art manufacturing processes and is continuously seeking out new technologies to improve its performance.

The understanding of the nature of plastic films, their production techniques, applications and their characterisation is essential for producing new types of plastic films. This handbook has been written to discuss the production and main uses of plastic films.

Chapter 1: Technology of Polyolefin Film Production, deals with the various types of polyolefins and their suitability for film manufacture.

Chapter 6: Ecological Issues of Polymer Flame Retardancy, discusses flame retardants, which as special additives have an important role in saving lives. These flame retardant system basically inhibit or even suppress the combustion process by chemical or physical action in the gas or condensed phase.

Chapter 7: Interaction of Polymers with Nitrogen Oxides in Polluted Atmospheres, covers thermal and photochemical oxidation of polymers under the influence of the aggressive, polluting atmospheric gases.

Chapter 8: Modifications of Plastic Films, discusses the modifications of plastic films required to improve their mechanical or physical properties to meet the requirements of certain applications.

Chapter 9: Applications of Plastic Films in Packaging, deals with applications of plastic films in packaging.

Chapter 10: Applications of Plastic Films in Agriculture, deals with the application of plastic films in agriculture.

Chapter 11: Physicochemical Criteria for Estimating the Efficiency of Burn Dressings, deals with the principal medical treatment of burns using dressings made with a polymeric layer or layers.

Chapter 12: Testing of Plastic Films, covers the most common test methods generally used for plastic films. The requirements necessary for the test methods are summarised.

Chapter 13: Recycling of Plastic Waste, covers the problem of plastic films recycling Different types of recycling are discussed and recycling of some selected types of films are discussed. This book will be invaluable to anyone who is already working with plastic films or to anyone who is considering working with them in the future.

4. Solubility of Additives in Polymers4.1 Introduction4.2 Nonuniform Polymer Structure4.3 Additive Sorption4.4 Quantitative Data on Additive Solubility in Polymers4.5 Factors Affecting Additive Solubility4.5.1 Crystallinity and Supermolecular Structure4.5.2 Effect of Polymer Orientation4.5.3 Role of Polymer Polar Groups4.5.4 Effect of the Second Compound4.5.5 Features of Dissolution of High Molecular Weight Additives4.5.6 Effect of Polymer Oxidation4.6 Solubility of Additives and Their Loss

11. Physicochemical Criteria for Estimating the Efficiency of Burn Dressings11.1 Introduction11.2 Modern Surgical Burn Dressings11.2.1 Dressings Based on Materials of Animal Origin11.2.2 Dressings Based on Synthetic Materials11.2.3 Dressings Based on Materials of Vegetable Origin11.3 Selection of the Properties of Tested Burn Dressings11.3.1 Sorption-Diffusion Properties11.3.2 Adhesive Properties11.3.3 Mechanical Properties11.4 Methods of Investigation of Physicochemical Properties of Burn Dressings11.4.1 Determination of Material Porosity11.4.2 Determination of Size and Number of Pores11.4.3 Estimation of Surface Energy at Material-Medium Interface11.4.4 Determination of Sorptional Ability of Materials11.4.5 Determination of Air Penetrability of Burn Dressings11.4.6 Determination of Adhesion of Burn Dressings11.4.7 Determination of Vapour Penetrability of Burn Dressings11.5 Results and Discussion11.5.1 Determination of Sorption Ability of Burn Dressings11.5.2 Kinetics of the Sorption of Liquid Media by Burn Dressings11.5.3 Determination of Vapour Penetrability of Burn Dressings11.5.4 Determination of the Air Penetrability of Burn Dressings11.5.5 Determination of Adhesion of Burn Dressings11.6 The Model of Action of a Burn Dressing11.6.1 Evaporation of Water from the Dressing Surface11.6.2 Sorption of Fluid by Burn Dressing from Bulk Containing a Definite Amount of Fluid11.6.3 Mass Transfer of Water from Wound to Surroundings11.7 Criteria for the Efficiency of First-Aid Burn Dressings11.7.1 Requirements of a First-Aid Burn Dressing11.7.2 Characteristics of First-Aid Burn Dressings11.8 Conclusion P

Elsayed Abdel-Bary took his first degree at Cairo University and studied for his PhD at the Institute of Fine Chemical Technology in Moscow. He became a Professor in the Faculty of Science at Mansoura University in 1979 and subsequently founded the University’s Polymer Research Centre. He has published widely on the subject of polymer science, to date he has over 100 papers/book chapters credited to him. Elsayed is the Editor-in-Chief of Packplast International and Interplas International, the Vice-President of the Egyptian Chemical Society and a member of the IUPAC Academy of Scientific Research and Technology.